Member Spotlight: Linda Paul

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Writing is a way for someone’s thoughts or feelings to be expressed, as well as becoming a record. It’s a medium that connects the human soul. This can take many forms, including personal letters and notes (a favorite of mine), email or text (though, this area is tricky for clear intent), a book, or an article. It can entertain or inform. It also has the power to have you see things from another point of view, which is always important. I also believe the act keeps my memory and learning ability sharp.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I’ve never experienced what I’ve read from others as true writer’s block. It seems an impossibility to always be able to write something specific at a specific time. If I seem to hit a roadblock, I try alternatives, such as re-reading or editing previous work. I definitely can’t always formulate what I’m trying to get down on paper at a specific time, but I’ve always got huge lists to draw upon for other areas involving writing work. Writing is a process, not only about the output.

What is your favorite time to write? I love writing early in the morning in a completely quiet, undistracted place. It often takes at least a half hour for me to get back into the flow from where I last left off.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? When you complete a novel, start another. No waiting around for things to happen. Even if it’s not good, you’ve got something to pick up on or edit to always keep moving forward.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? While the details being promoted about the impact of AI writing in the book world are discouraging, I feel it will sort itself out, given time. So with that, I believe real, important, sentimental work will rise to the top and continue to have an impact. I also enjoy being part of the writing community, where I’ve met some wonderful friends.

Linda Paul’s The Last Gypsy Queen is out now with ‎Black Rose Writing.